“The previous governors incurred a lot of debt, and we’re paying that debt down. And as we pay the debt down, the debt service is reduced,” Brown said. “And we hope, with economic growth and keeping our budget in line and restrained, that by the time the tax goes away, California will have a sustainable path forward.”

Prop 30 increases taxes on people earning more than $250,000 annually for the next seven years. It increases the sales tax a quarter cent for the next four years.

Brown also addressed California’s high poverty rate. He said the state is a magnet for all kinds of people, including some who lack skills and take low-paying jobs. He says poverty in the state is the flip side of California’s attractiveness and prosperity.